Georgia’s gross external debt increased 20.37% year-on-year and 8.3% on quarterly basis to USD 13 billion at the end of September 2012, according to the National Bank of Georgia (NBG).

The public sector accounted 31.9% of the gross external debt in the third quarter of last year, or USD 4.2 billion, a 7.52% increase on a quarterly basis and a 16.6% increase on a yearly basis, according to the figures released by NBG on December 31.

The central bank, whose share in total external debt was 5%, had USD 651.8 million at the end of September, a 7.67% q/q and 24.78% y/y decline.

The banking sector accounted 17% share of the gross external debt, or USD 2.2 billion, in the third quarter of 2012, a 7.2% q/q and 10% y/y increase.